In 2020, Microsoft Edge surpassed Firefox to become the second-most popular web browser. It’s not hard to see why. Edge, which replaced Internet Explorer, is the default browser on many Windows machines.
On Mac, Safari is the default browser. Many people, whether they’re using a Mac or a PC, decide to install a different browser.
Given that, Firefox is actually the second-most popular alternative browser. It still trails Google’s Chrome by a wide margin. When people opt for installing their own browser, they’re going to pick Firefox or Chrome.
Is Firefox supported on Mac devices though? The answer is yes!
A Brief Firefox History
As mentioned, Firefox is one of the more popular “alternative” browsers. Most devices come with a browser preinstalled. On Mac devices, this is Safari.
Until recently on Windows machines, the default browser was Internet Explorer. This preinstalled browser killed earlier options like Netscape.
Unfortunately, Internet Explorer was not a very good piece of software. As a result, many people started looking for better alternatives to Internet Explorer. People like those in the Mozilla community continued the work of Netscape.
Mozilla developed a standalone browser called “Phoenix” as an alternative to bundled software. When it proved popular with testers, they released it as Firefox in fall 2004. It quickly became a popular alternative to Internet Explorer, as it was faster and more secure.
Firefox went on to claim almost a third of the browser market, peaking in 2009. Since then, it’s been challenged by a wide variety of browsers, including Google’s Chrome, Apple’s Safari, and more.
Firefox Availability
Firefox is currently available for machines running Windows 7 or newer. Many people believe Microsoft Windows applications are not supported on macOS. This isn’t always true.
Apple’s macOS is a proprietary piece of software developed in-house by the company. As a result, it has very different coding and structure from Microsoft Windows.
For a long time, developers preferred to make software only for Windows. Microsoft dominated the PC market in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Windows devices are still more common today, but Apple saw a resurgence in popularity over the last couple of decades. More people have adopted Mac desktops and MacBooks. In turn, developers have seen the need to make sure their software is available on both macOS and Windows.
The Mozilla Foundation, Firefox’s parent company, is one of those developers. The software is free and open-source, which means anyone can see and change the source code. Given that, even if Mozilla themselves didn’t develop a macOS version of the browser, someone else likely would have.
Firefox is also available for Linux. Unofficial ports exist for Unix and Unix-based operating systems as well.
Firefox on Mobile
Firefox is also available for the two dominant mobile operating systems, Android and iOS. It’s also available as one of just two browsers on Amazon’s Fire TV. The other option is Amazon’s own Silk browser.
Across almost all operating systems, Firefox uses the Gecko layout engine. This engine anticipates future web standards and implements them when rendering websites.
The exception to this is iOS. Platform requirements mean all iOS browsers have to use the WebKit layout engine. Apple developed the WebKit engine.
That may be one reason for Firefox’s declining popularity. Safari, Apple’s own browser, is specifically designed to work with WebKit. It’s also the default browser on iPhones and iPads, and fewer mobile users choose to replace it with another browser.
When they do, they often choose Chrome. Chrome uses a version of some WebKit components. Given that, apps like Chrome and Safari may actually perform better than Firefox on iOS.
As default browsers have improved, people have switched to mobile, and new browsers have come on the scene, Firefox has lost ground. It’s no longer seen as the “better alternative,” and it’s not nearly as innovative as it once was.
Are There Limitations to Firefox Being Supported on Mac?
As much as Firefox is available on macOS, it isn’t always supported. You may need to check your version of macOS or even your device.
When it comes to Windows machines, Firefox is only available for machines running Windows 7 or newer. Likewise, Mozilla has also ended support for older macOS versions. In 2020, it announced the end of support for users on:
- Mavericks
- Yosemite
- El Capitan
These are older versions of macOS X no longer supported by Apple. Apple stopped releasing security patches for El Capitan, the newest version on the list, in 2018.
In 2021, Mozilla will stop releasing security patches for users still on these versions of OS X.
Until then, users can get security patches for Firefox 78 Extended Release Support.
Once Mozilla stops offering security patches, you’ll be taking a risk using Firefox on these systems. Instead, you might want to switch to Chrome, which is still offering support.
You might also want to switch to a newer version of OS X or even macOS 11, Big Sur. If your device can’t upgrade past OS X El Capitan, then it’s probably time for a new device altogether.
If you can update your OS, then you might also want to update Firefox itself. Learn how to update Firefox and discover some of the big changes Mozilla’s been making to this browser in recent releases.
Stay on Top of Tech
Not every application is supported on Mac. If you’re a Firefox fan, you’ll be happy to know you can absolutely get your favorite browser for your desktop, laptop, or iPhone. It seems like that will be the case for some time to come, even if Firefox isn’t as popular as it once was.
Be sure to use the most up-to-date version of the browser and your OS. That way, your browsing will always be secure.
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